Discharge-cock for fire-extinguishers



(No Model.)

J. M. MILLER. 4 DISCHARGE 000K FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

No. 408,423. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

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UNITED STATES JOSEPH M. MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DISCHARGE-COCK FOR FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,423, dated August 6, 1889.

Application filed April 3, 1889- SerialNo. 305,881- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH M. h/IILLER, of

' Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Discharge-Cocks for Fire- Extinguishers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to and constitutes an improvement upon that class of cocks or valves employed for closing the dischargeorifices of portable fire-extinguishers, such as patented to me February 26, 1889, No. 398,643; and it consists in the novel and improved form of the packing and its application to the movable jaw of the cock, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the valve with jaw swung down to uncover discharge orifice. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the jaw closed. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the packing, fastening-strip, and movable jaw detached.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The discharge-cock A is in all material respects the same as the oneillustrated and described in my prior patent, and is applied to the receptacle B, (a section of which is shown containing a fire-extinguishing liquid maintained under pressure by compressed air within the receptacle. The outer end or head of the cock is provided with a dischargeorifice a and an overhanging lip a to receive the end of clampingscrew C in link 0, the latter pivotally attached to the swinging block D. The face a containing the discharge-orifice a, is inclined to the axis of the latter to facilitate the closing of the orifice quickly and with a minimum scattering of the fluid by contact with the face of the movable block D.

Then it is desired to interrupt the flow of the liquid, the blockD is raised by the fingers until the packing is firmly seated against the face a thereby closing the discharge-orifice. It has been found in practice, however, that in the act of cutting off the discharge there is at times some difiiculty experienced in completely and quickly closing the dischargeorifice preliminary to the application of the pressure of the screw, and this is due, in partat least, to the fact that the packing first makes contact with the face a nearer the pivot on which the jaw or block D is hung, and has to be compressed before the discharge-orifice is entirely covered. Moreover, as the packing is normally held under compression by the screw, it becomes in time set or hardened, and this, too, unequally, so that when the block D is released to discharge a portion of the contents of the receptacle, and it is desired to suddenly cut off the flow, so as to preserve the remainder of the fluid or prevent unnecessary waste or damage, the packing cannot be brought back to place so as to entirely seal or close the dischargeorifice and prevent leakage without the application of considerable pressure upon the swinging block, and even then an opportunity is afforded for the escape of the fluid in a lateral direction. To overcome this defective action, I have made the packing E with a protuberant portion e, having a rounded or convex face 6 co-operating with the plane face a so that when the block is swung up by hand it will at once cover and close the discharge-orifice, and by the application of more power the packing will be compressed into contact with the face a over a greater area, thereby effectually preventing the escape of the liquid.

In order to properly position and retain the packing upon the jaw or block D, I provide a plate F, perforated to fit and embrace the protuberant portion 6 of the packing.

The packing E is placed in position upon the block D and the plate F is put over it. The two ends fof the plate are then bent down and folded beneath the block, and secured together and to the block by solder or equivalent means.

The plate F is preferably formed from thin sheet metal, and serves not only to hold the packing in position upon the movable jaw,

but also as a collar to sustain the protuberant Ioo portion e, and by attaching said plate to the under face of the block D the sides can yield as the packing is compressed by the action of the screw.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A discharge-cock for fire-extinguishers, such as described, the same comprising ahead containing a discharge -orifiee, a swinging jaw provided with a fastening device, a packing-strip having a protuberant convex-faced portion co-operating with the dischargeorifice, a perforated plate resting upon the packing-strip with the protuberant portion of the latter projecting through the perforation and beyond the surface of the plate, and means for securing the said plate to the movable jaw to hold the packing in place, as set forth.

2. In a discharge-cock such as described, and in combination with the head containing the discharge-orifice and the pivoted block, a

packing provided with a protuberant portion, and a plate embracing said packingsurrounding the protuberant portion and encircling the movable jaw to sustain the packing in position thereon and support the protuberant portion, substantially as described.

3. A discharge cock such as described, provided with a head containinga dischargeorifice, a block pivoted to said head so as to swing toward and away from the dischargeorifice, an elastic packing mounted upon the movable block, and a perforated strip overlying the packing and having its ends bent around the movable jaw and secured to the latter, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPH M. MILLER. \Vitnesses:

CHAS. M. STEFFENS, A. MONTGOMERY WARD. 

